1- Swim – You can do anything you put your mind and effort into.

3- Run – Be proud of yourself.

I likely will have a great deal more to say and feel regarding my first triathlon experience but it has been an incredibly overwhelming weekend of firsts and I just simply don’t have all the words right now.

Here is what I do know…

Any haters on this amazing group of athletes that I’m now so proud to BE IN, can suck my big left stinky-vibramed toe.

Jen is a cancer survivor and triathlete (who won her age group on Sunday) racing in 50 states before her 50th birthday to raise funds for ovarian cancer research. Ladies, go for info, continue to get tested and be aware. Everyone, every little bit helps so please if you have $5 or more, a tweet or FB post to spare, donate to this worthy cause.

con·nect /kəˈnekt/ (v)

Yelling at the coldI awoke to -6 degrees this morning. Yet I was snuggled in my bed-for-now with a warm puppy and blanket. The wind was bitter in the early hours on the trek to work, chilling hands in -6 seconds. Yet cavetching at it — yelling at the wind and cold — would do nothing to change it. There is a difference in the mindset of “this is happening to me” and “this is happening in spite of me.” Not out of spite, in spite.

Sometimes — oftentimes — there is nothing we can do but find acceptance in what is. I struggle not to read that as defeatist but rather realist and maybe even hopeful. We can do small acts to change our situation yet the greatest act is to change our way of thinking.

It is cold. Walk faster. Put hands in pockets. Laugh with two gents on a streetcorner as we turn our backs to the wind waiting for the light. Looking for the light…

I can choose focus on my discomfort (the lack of gloves and other bits of life I might wish were in my grasp at this moment) or I can realize the cold isn’t out to get me. It exists. So too does the promise of a warm office and a cup of coffee which my cold hands better appreciate for the difference. It is all training — a practice.